Learn how you can stay safe while shopping online
If you are planning on doing your holiday shopping online this year, then it’s important that you take the necessary precautions. Here are some of the strategies you should employ to stay safe while shopping online.
Don’t Give Out Personal Information
If a site prompts you for personal information unrelated to your purchase, then this should raise a red flag. For instance, any site that asks you for information such as your social security number or date of birth is not legitimate and you should leave the page immediately. The only information a retailer should ever ask for is your billing, shipping and payment information and, on occasion, your email address and phone number.
Stay on Well-Known Sites
Now is not the time to check out a new online vendor or buy from a company you’ve never heard of before. Instead, you should stick to retailers that you know or have used in the past. Making sure that you stay on trusted sites will help you avoid falling into a trap set by a cyber criminal.
Protect Your Computer
Another way to protect yourself and stay one step ahead of criminals is by installing anti-virus software on your computer. Not only will good anti-virus software protect you from any pop-ops or emails that contain dangerous viruses or malware, but it will also alert you when you are on a site that is not secure or is compromised in some way.
Shop Smart
Finally, to avoid putting your credit or debit card information everywhere, you should consider doing your online shopping with gift cards or pre-paid credit cards. Using these types of cards will ensure that your financial information does not fall into the wrong hands in case your accounts have somehow been compromised.
Try out these strategies to help you stay safe while shopping online. We at PMC Insurance Group are experts in small business insurance and can help you put the proper policies in place. Contact us today to learn more about getting competitive coverage for your small business clients.
